Lone Ladybird

[Geri]

Ive had a ladybird on my garage wall for over a week - it hasnt moved at all, and it is still alive - I know this, because if you go near to it, its legs move. It appears to be clutching to what I originally thought was a singular egg, but having looked at photographs on the internet - it doesnt look like anything posted on there. The 'egg' thing it is clutching to is approximately the size and shape of a grain of risotto rice and is pale orange in color - it looks like the same stuff that spiders eggs are made of. I was going to try and move the ladybird to the garden and had tried, gently, to move it - but it appears to 'hang on' to its 'egg', so I have left it alone. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Dogghound]

The "egg" will most likely be the pupa of a parasite that has emerged from within the ladybird and is ready to emerge, the ladybird will die. This is very common amoungst insects.

[Geri]

Thanks for replying. But, oh dear - sounds a bit gruesome! Do you think if I moved the ladybird it would survive, or will it be stuck to the pupa? Would it be kinder to put them both out of their misery (my 'fisherman' partner is now desparate to use the pupa as bait!!)

[Dogghound]

Not unless hes after sticklebacks . No please leave them be, it may seem gruesome but its a vital and interesting part of nature. The ladybird is dead its only a matter of time it will have sustained damage to its internal organs. (If this is actually whats happened). Can you get a photo to confirm it?

[Geri]

Just tried to take a picture of it - but my camera is rubbish and the picture just came out as a red blob! The camera on my phone has taken a much better picture, but I cant download to my computer - is there a mobile number i could send it to?

[Dogghound]

No, but by your description it sounds about rite. Just double checking its not a ladybird emerging from a pupa?

[Geri]

Ive had a good look underneath the ladybird and the pupa is about half the length of the underside of the ladybird. It looks like the ladybird may be attached at the very front end of it (near its mouth?), but not attached right along the body. It looks very 'protective' of it, as its legs kind of 'shuffle' around it, keeping hold of it.

[wyevilla]

This sounds very much like the puparium of a braconid wasp which will have developed as a larvae inside the ladybird.

It will have eaten its way out of the underside of the ladybird and spun its cocoon between the ladybird's legs. Thus protected from predation by birds by the ladybird's protective warning colouration.

A marvellous example of adaptation.

[ChrisR]

As has been said, it sounds very like Perilitus coccinellae - a wonderful demonstration of how devious and adapted some ichneumonoid parasitoids have become. The parasitoid larva actually keeps the ladybird alive because ladybirds are ignored by birds (they taste bad and the warning colours advertise this) and so it will stand guard and protect the vulnerable braconid cocoon. It does this by only eating non-vital organs in the ladybird and then cutting just enough nerves to stop the ladybird moving, before then spinning silk and weaving its legs into the braconid's cocoon.

Personally, I think they are much more interesting that the ladybird and I'd love to see more ... but each to their own

[elise_emma]

Just joined to find out what is in my garden - and sounds very similar... Have managed to take a photo - i will try to post it as very interested to know what i have (i too thought it was eggs and that the ladybird is alive)?